Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Oh-Sooo Sweet

OSO was scheduled to be killed in the local shelter because of aggression.  One of my favorite things to work with and rescue are dogs that are labelled aggressive.  Almost every dog I've pulled was labelled aggressive.  In fact if you check my philosophy on aggressive dogs at www.blackbeltdogtraining.com you will get a better scope of me.  Oso was scared to death, a big baby.  With a team effort of Bound Angels, ResQPet and Earth Angels OSO was saved.  He received his eye surgery for entropion courtesy of ResQPet and he is now under Susan's care and learning to love and trust again.  Soon he will be ready for a wonderful forever home, but for now, OSO is safe.  If you're interested in adopting OSO, contact resqpet@aol.com or Susan at meritsmm@yahoo.com

Dogs are so often mislabeled in shelters and are shunned for adoption because of a poor evaluation.  This is very very poor service to animals.  The stress that an animal faces causes varied behavior in strange environment such as shelters.  Often the people evaluating the dogs are quacks with no idea of dog behavior.  They churn through the job and condemn many good dogs to death.  A fair evaluation of a dog is nearly impossible in an environment like a shelter.  

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Save a Pet - Save a Buck!


The LA City Shelters are moving them out, and you get the deal.  Yes, I am promoting the LA City Shelter system here, as they are very actively promoting adoptions..  I like that.  Take a look at the flyer below.  Check out several shelters, as each location features slightly unique models.  Most have 4 legs, 2 eyes and a tail...  Some variations may occur from location to location...  But get on over there this Saturday and Sunday July 19th and 20th.  Also, download this flyer and mail it to all of your friends.  In fact print out extra copies and post them at your local pet store.  Send me a picture of you putting the flyer at a pet store.  One lucky person will get a BOUND ANGELS T-shirt.


Saturday, July 12, 2008

End the Gas Chamber

As many of you know, it is the core mission of BOUND ANGELS to end the killing of animals in shelters.  Lets start with the idea that animals are sill being gassed.  This is an incredibly sick method of killing pets.  The attached video is not for the weak of heart, however IF you've ever loved a pet, watch it for them.  Have the courage to stand up for the brothers and sisters of the pet you love(d).  THEN, take action.

Call North Carolina Governor Easly at 919-733-4240 and 919-799-5811
NC Agricultural Commissioner Steve Troxler 919-799-7125
NC Chamber of Commerce President Lew Ebert 919-836-1407

Tell then that you will boycott North Carolina goods and will spread the word about gassing practices in North Carolina.  Demand justice for those who are dying...  No one wants negative PR, especially not a state.  This is sick!  

This is important.  In days gone by animals were drowned in tanks among other tortures.  We live in a society where we can make a difference..  take a stand.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

The Breeder - Your Friend

I probably have less of a problem with breeders than some people in rescue, but there is still an underlying issue that needs to be addressed.  So long as there are 5 million shelter animals dying in shelters, why do breeders continue?  The biggest problem with breeders is that most are not checked out, which means you are dealing with a potential of puppy mill breeders, which I do have a major problem with.  Puppy mills should be shut down and the owners of these places should be put in prison as child abusers are.  

I received a phone call from a woman the other day, which made me think to write this post.  She was referred to me by a local animal control officer.  She is having a problem with her Italian Mastiff.  Shall we guess what the problem is?  Aggression.  No kidding.  The lady explained that she took the dog to training, but the dog is not responding and has bitten the son and shows signs of aggression toward her.  For those of you who have not read my dog training blog or site, I invite you to go to www.blackbeltdogtraining.com and educate yourselves with what I face regularly from people who can not control their dogs. 

Mastiffs are a very strong and powerful breed.  These are the kind of dogs that when they turn, they will do a lot of damage.  And believe me, dogs will turn.  Why?  Because they are dogs.  Its not as big of a deal when your cocker spaniel turns on you, but when your 150lb mastiff turns, you have a bit of a problem.  You can't take a dog like this to your local pet store for training,  this requires someone who understands aggressive breeds.  And the best time to start training a dog like this is in the puppy stage, and never stop.  A dog like this, or any larger dog (or any dog for that matter), should be brought up to understand pack structure.  Unfortunately most people don't understand this themselves.  They think the dog is cute when its a puppy, but it grows up.

So, back to my point about the breeder.  I'm not slamming all breeders here, but I am slamming the one who sold this dog to this lady..  as well as the person who would be stupid enough to bring a dog like this home with no idea or research of the dogs characteristic.  Since the dog turned aggressive, he has to be put down or sent to a sanctuary.  Did the breeder offer to take the dog back? NO.   Did the breeder offer to send it to a sanctuary?  NO.  So what happens?  The dog gets murdered.  Why?  For being a dog.  The dog has the least fault in all of this.  The dog is being a dog.  Dogs get aggressive when there is a break in pack leadership.  This is what they do to protect the pack and themselves.  Please read more of my opinions on my Black Belt Dog Training site.  All I want to address here is that every time people don't think, an innocent dog dies.  This dog does not deserve to die, he should have never been brought into a home like this.  Obviously many breeders do not qualify the home for the dogs, as long as the check clears.   That is BULL&$%).  The breeder is responsible.  Rescues check out the potential homes for most all dogs they place, almost to a fault.  There is no special license people need to get a dog, in fact you can walk into any shelter or pet store and just take one home.  If it doesn't work out, its even easier, just drop them back at the shelter, and they'll kill them for you.  

Please educate yourself and the people you know that an animal is a life, to some of us it is as important as a human life.  At the very least, it is entitled to a chance at a happy life.  Animals that are turned into shelters for aggression need special attention, they can be rehabilitated, it takes work.  Before you get a dog that has dominant tendencies, educate yourself about the potential and what you need to know of the dog.  You'll be doing yourself and the animal a huge favor.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Leave NONE Behind - the rescue of Daisy aka Annie

Last week I posted "DO NOT ADOPT THIS DOG"  It was my ploy to see who would step up.  This campaign was a huge success.  I found a home for the dog I named Daisy.

Daisy was the dog that was in the cell with Hope...  we all remember Hope.  Well, I had a home for Hope, but I knew that Daisy would be left behind.  The chance for a black dog at a shelter is....  well, like a snowballs chance in hell, or worse.  The daring campaign, DO NOT ADOPT THIS DOG, was my only chance.  Needless to say, Daisy is the sweetest lab, with the kindest golden eyes and as calm as can be.  Basically the perfect dog.  It broke my heart thinking that Hope got out and that Daisy would be murdered by the shelter staff shortly thereafter.  She was so kind to Hope, she tolerated the grumpy old lady that I grew to love.  She showed her much compassion and love.  What a perfect spirit.  Caged up with a blind and basically deaf dog more than 3 times her age, and never an incident.  I sat and watched them interact for quite some time.  I took her out to meet her and she would just want to sit at my side.  She is so sweet.

I was ecstatic when I got the call from Joe that he would open his home to Daisy.  Joe is an animal lover, he lives with Bonnie (black lab) and Clyde (cocker).  He has a beautiful home in the valley and is a composer.  His dogs live inside and enjoy all the comforts that any dog could want, including listening to his music.  Check out his website at www.joerozum.com 

Joe renamed her to Annie.  Annie lives with Bonnie and Clyde and Joe.  What a life.  They all get along just beautifully.  Annie visited my vet for a quick checkup, and even though she was a bit nervous and barfed a few times, she's just fine.

Thank you to all of you who sent out your prayers and well wishes for both Hope and Annie / Daisy.  And please remember that no case is Hope-Less unless you allow it to be.  Yes, black dogs are not the most common dogs adopted from shelters, but they are loving creatures who are just as beautiful as all the others.  Remember the positive things, every one loves black cars, everyone wants to be a Black Belt, we want our businesses to function in the black..  Black dogs make great lovers...  Just ask Annie.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

From Hope-less to Hope- FULL

One of my happiest days...  All of you know how much saving Hope has meant to me and it is a dream come true.  I pulled Hope from the downtown animal shelter on Thursday and drove her to San Diego.  I had a few people offer to do it for me, but I had to do this myself.  I almost cried as I walked her from her cell out the front gate, into my car and off to freedom.  

An amazing blessing came in her foster mom Diane.  Her and her entire family including the other Pei Fanny and Bo opened their hearts to Hope so selflessly and Hope opened her heart too.  During out long ride from LA to San Diego I chatted with her several times, I stopped and got her some ice and fed it to her.  It seems as though she finally accepted me, I fed her ice from my hand and when we arrived their, I reached into the crate to put her collar on and grabbed that big spongy head and she just let me.  This was a major breakthrough.  

I met Diane and her family and Hope could not have picked a better home.  Diane had recently lost one of her beloved babies and is fostering Hope as a tribute to him.  What an amazing lady!  Her love for the dogs shows in her heart, I saw it at first sight.  She immediately saw in Hope what I saw the first time I saw her.  I made the old gal a promise and thanks to Diane I was able to keep it.  I have a habit that when I find a dog that I want to save, I look into their eyes and swear to them that I will save them.  Thus far I've been blessed to be able to follow through on each of them.  And, even though Bound Angels is not a "rescue" per se, it is such a great feeling to pull a dog off of  deaths door.

There is no doubt in my heart that Hope was destined for death, and the person who left her there knows it too.  Hope was living outside for more than 5 years.  Her ears had fly strikes all over them, she is basically blind and for the most part deaf.  An old lady that had no clue as to her destiny, and no control over it.  She gave her love and affection to a lowlife who dumped her when she needed love the most, in her later years.  It seems many wondered why I would care so much for an old dog, why not the younger ones?  Well, in our society we often forget the old, the weak and the poor.  The heart and soul of compassion is the help we give to those who are forgotten by others, and Hope was a classic case.  There was NO WAY, I would give up on her.  I knew if Hope could feel love just one more time, if she would open herself up to getting another pat on the head, a warm meal, a kind stroke, to know someone loved her before she laid her head down for the last time my work will have been worthwhile.  That this girl would know that she will die in her time, not in a time picked by the in-humane shelter system, that she would be free to live her golden years as she deserves, with respect, love and dignity-- this is the goal to compassion and something I strived for and am grateful Hope will get.

I thank all of you for your love and compassion that you sent for Hope
I thank Diane and her beautiful family for fostering Hope
I thank God for bringing Hope into my life and allowing her to touch my soul.

If you'd like to make a donation for the continuation of BOUND ANGELS, please donate what you can by visiting BOUNDANGELS.org

Best regards,

Robert Cabral
BOUND ANGELS